Learning outcomes, MFamily

Knowledge and understanding

Students who successfully complete the Master will be able to:

1. Understand and critically review the contribution of different social and human sciences to children and family social work and social policy theory, research and practice.
2. Critically understand social work intervention with vulnerable children and marginalized families within the framework of local community, national and cross national contexts. Placement module and field work throughout the 2 years masters course will be main contributions.
3. Understand and reflexively make use of social work theory and practice in the framework of human rights and children`s rights related to vulnerable children and families in different national and international contexts.
4. Understand and reflexively review and apply the adequate research and intervention methods within local and global contexts.

Cognitive skills

Students who successfully complete the Master will be able to:

1. Display a high standard professional capacity and responsibility.
2. Critically analyse social work and social policy perspectives on vulnerable children and families.
3. Critically analyse local and international practice on children and family social work and social policy issues.
4. Analyse the established local system of dealing with marginalized families and children issues and the role of the different organizations involved.
5. Reflect on the relation between academic study and professional experience and develop learning processes taking advantage of this link.
6. Critically analyse and assess comparative data both at local and cross-country level.
7. Make use of a systematic evidence-based reflection on a proper and professional way, carefully formulating judgments about ethical issues.
8. Be cultural and emotionally sensitive to the family and children issues they work with.

Throughout the entire master programme, students will be encouraged to incorporate a responsible attitude and behaviour regarding their future profession. Modules on social work with Children, Youth and Participation, Methodology of Social Work and Methodology of Social Research, together with Placement and Dissertation will contribute for this.

All courses, including placements and field visits, will help to develop these skills. Modules on social work with Children, Youth and Participation will focus on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Dissertation and the courses on research methods will focus on the capacity to compare data and make use of systematic, evidence-based research.

Practical skills

Students who successfully complete the master will possess and be able to demonstrate the following skills:

1. Identify, select and apply different and appropriate methods within child and family protection.
2. Elaborate design participatory strategies in social work with children and marginalized families.
3. Select and use strength-based strategies in child protection.
4. Identify, select and apply different and appropriate research and intervention methods on the domain of social work with vulnerable children and families and social policy.
5. Design and write technical and research reports according to different target audiences.
6. Select and use of case studies at local and global level.
7. Prepare and develop research projects with minimum support and guidance.
8. Elaborate and design policy recommendations and proposals adapted to known problems on family issues.
9. Reflection and decision making about their own professional and personal pathways.

Field placements and field visits in the first, second and third semester will contribute to students' acquisition of these skills, as will seminars related to placements and field visits.

In addition, several courses in the first, second and third semester, will address practical skills and strategies.
Courses on research methods first and third semester as well as the dissertation will also enable students to demonstrate these practical skills.

Key skills

Students who successfully complete MFAMILY will have acquired the following skills:

1. Create, organize and present professional social work knowledge, skills and arguments.
2. Define strategies for social inclusion.
3. Capacity-orientation in problem-solving and preventive missions.
4. Networking strategies for cooperation with civil society resources.
5. Collect, organize and analyse different kinds of information and data.
6. Capacity to communicate research findings, and other work and observation results.
7. Process scientific evidence to inform the public, participate in political dialogue and stimulate a broad and productive debate on current and alternative approaches to children and marginalized families' situations.
8. Work in teams applying democratic decision-making processes.
9. Sensitivity and adaptability to different kinds of environment contexts and specific situations.
10. Capacity to deal with time pressure and understanding of available resources.

The master's programme requires students to travel across a minimum of three different countries, which will provide them with adaptability capacities and sensitivity to understand and adopt an empathic attitude towards the different environments and cultures they will be in contact with.

All the different modules will be challenging students to be confronted with new perspectives and ways of perceiving the family and children's issues beyond their own judgments and personal experiences.

MFamily World

The MFAMILY alumni initiated platform promotes community, lifelong learning, discovery, and engagement.

Erasmus Mundus Student and Alumni Association

MFAMILY Students and Alumni are encouraged to join the Erasmus Mundus Students and Alumni Association (EMA)!